I used to go to the dealer, but now I save money by going to an independent mechanic.

I used to take yoga classes, but now I teach yoga to save (and make) money.

I used to leave my electronics running on power supply, now I charge them in the office and run them on batteries to save money.

I used to buy books every week but now, in addition to using the library, I'm re-reading what I already have.

I used to spend aimlessly, but now I track my spending in order to save money.,

I used to spend greenback like water, but I am wise enough to begin to save money for a more secure future.

I used to go through the McCrackin's drive-through for my kids, but now I make them wait or until we get home.

I used to buy treats while grocery shopping, but now I smartly pack snacks!

I used to go to the store for one thing, now I shop smarter and plan my trips accordingly.

I used to buy bottled water, but now I REFILL MY OWN BOTTLE!!

I used to send my shirts out to the laundry ... but now I iron them myself at home to save the cash.

Oh how I miss those crisp, starched shirts ...

I used to buy bottled water but now I have a refillable portable metal carafe (filled with Britta's tap water)and tote it with me - SO much tastier, colder and CHEAPER!

I used to go out for a $4 latte a couple times a week. Now I bring my own cup and order a plain cup of coffee for just $1.

I used to buy a lot of junk on eBay without really even paying attention, but now I have a limit (whatever is the available credit balance in my paypal account, usually like $20) and I have bought 2 things in 6 months, both gifts.

I enjoy fashion. I used to shop for fun, but now I shop only for necessity WITH A LIST to save money. I am learning how to knit and sew so I hope soon the last part will read "but now I make my own clothes!"

I used to have no idea where my money went every month but now I write down *every* expense. At first it seemed like a pain in the ass and now it's standard procedure. I put everything in Google Docs so I have access everywhere and because it's Excel-like, I can make charts, perform calculations and all other manner of "life-hacks". I know exactly what my dining-out to groceries ratio is, how much I'm saving, how much it costs to keep my car. I can't emphasize how much control this gives me over my spending and how motivating it is to see where every penny has been. Plus, I get to make cool charts that show money going up, debts going down.

I used to drive everywhere, now I walk or take my bike when I can!

I used to buy convenience foods, and now I taught my children how to cook so that they share the work load! They actually don't mind baking a pie crust or slicing olives as much as I do.

I used to buy expensive wines, now I make my own to save money.

I used to pick up take-out dinners on those nights when we were tired and hadn't been to the store, but now I find a way to eat at home, even if it means pancakes, scrambled eggs, or cereal for dinner....and it really saves money!

I used to buy umpteen bottles of water that polluted the environment, all to pathetically and cluelessly satisfy my ravaging thirst, but now I use a refillable 2-gallon jug that costs only $0.80 to refill, and of course a reusable water bottle, and I save scads of money and harm the planet much less.

I used to drive to the grocery store, but now I ride my bike with an Xtracycle attached.

I used to spend so much money on food at so-called mainstream grocery stores and supermarkets, but now I shop at Aldi's to save tons of money and spend a fraction of the amount I used to, and still get and eat high quality victuals.

I used to rely on my credit cards to get me by on those months that I spent more than I made BUT now I put my credit cards in hiding and rely on my monthly budget to make sure they are never needed again.

I used to rent movies at the local video store every weekend but now we subscribe to Netflix and get more movies per month for less money AND save in late fees!

I used to live in the Chicago area but I moved to SW Missouri to save money. Amazing how much more you can get for your rent money down here. I have also really stepped up my use of coupons and subscribe to a lot of blogs to keep up with all of the freebie offers and best ways to make the most of the food coupons that are available etc. It is fun for me to get things for the lowest price possible.

i used to rent movies, but now i use the library to get films. requires a little foresight, but no biggie.

I used to clip one or two coupons (at most) each weekend and toss the rest of the inserts, but now I save each insert and use coupons for items I wouldn't normally have purchased to save money.

This may not make sense to people who don't use coupons, but there are often promotions, such as a grocery store promotion - buy 10 items, get $5 off instantly - where I might use coupons for five items I won't use but they end up being free after coupons, and then I get five items that I will use and the $5 comes off those items, bringing the overall cost way down. I donate whatever I won't use to the local food bank and other charities.

I used to not have a budget, but now I keep track of most of my pennies.

I used to not have a Molly Fun category, but now I do, and I stay in my budget, and I enjoy it a lot (the planning and the spending).

I used to have a Netflix account, but now I have a TV antenna and watch PBS for free.

I used to buy shaving cream in a can, but now I use soap.

I used to run the AC at night in our entire apartment, but now I just run the fan at the foot of the bed.

I used to rent movies but now I check out movies at the library

I used to buy fresh, expensive produce at the grocery store, and now I am hoping the garden we planted will feed us!

I used to go to the movies, but now I have Netflix.

I used to watch a lot of TV, but now I am starting to work out (and actually make use of my gym membership!).

I used to buy books and dvd's, but now I borrow them from the library to save money. I also was alert to cheap groceries but now I pay even more attention and add coupons to my club card and combine these with paper coupons this saves me a great deal of money.

I used to make my menu plan, then look at sales flyers, now I look at sales flyers and what I have on hand, then plan my meals for the week.

I used to buy books but now I get them for free from www.bookmooch.com

I used to buy food depending on what I wanted to eat, but now I buy food depending on what's on sale.

and then I moved to the city where things got expensive!

Now I bring my own tumbler of coffee/tea, use the library more, and don't eat out much. And in reference to your post, I just bought a crock pot! =)

I used to head straight to the mall to shop for clothes. Now I head straight to Goodwill first.

I used to buy import beer but now I buy domestic to save money.

I used to buy watch missed TV episodes on iTunes, but now I wait a few days and watch them on Hulu to save money.

I used to buy fruits and vegetables at the closest grocery store, but now I have several garden beds and get most of my veggies and some of my fruits from my own pesticide-free garden

I used to go out to eat several times a week (at sit-down restaurants), but now I have learned to cook to save money!

I used to buy a little ground coffee at a time. Now I bought a nice grinder and store bulk beans from Sam's in the freezer.

I used to get three newspapers delivered, now I read them online.

I used to print google map directions on clean sheets of paper, but now I just write it down on scrap paper to save money on paper and ink.

enjoy all of the previous retail therapy goods...like the bread maker I used to never use.

I used to throw coins in a fountain, but now I get them out.

I used to wash cloths once a week , but now I just turn them inside out.

I used to buy the things I need ,but now I go to wisebread.com to earn freebies.

I used to ----

--- Buy Tide HE, but now I make my own detergent.
--- Get my hair colored at a salon, but now I use lemon juice and sunlight.
--- Buy organic eggs at the grocery store, but now we are raising chickens in the city.

I used to go out for pizza often, now I bake my own at home from scratch.

I used to buy magazines, but now I pick up used ones at the library to save money.

I used to go out to eat when I was too tired to cook, but now I make more large meals in my rice cooker that I can recook for leftovers

I used to buy sprouts and bagged greens, but now I grow my own sprouts and gather wild greens (aka "weeds") to save money -- as well as eat healthier and be greener!

I used to buy 2-3 bottles of fruit juice every 2 weeks (for $3.99 each(!) unless on sale...) until I read about BPA (in plastics #5 & #6) and how plastics can impersonate estrogen in the human body. So I bought a glass bottle of pineapple coconut juice at Ralphs, emptied it with gusto (the best part this tip) and bought a box of Tang at Costco for $5.99. Now I mix Tang and water in the glass container, and we have "juice" for about a month or two for the cost of a week of apple or grape juice. Everybody likes the Tang, and the glass container is doesn't affect the taste or harbor mold.

(My experience with plastic bottles is that even refrigerated they grow black mildew spots on the inside or a pink slime that's also found in swimming pools. We've even grown a new civilization inside our plastic Brita water filtration pitcher...)

Now we keep glass bottles of lemonade (cheaper than Tang), iced tea (cheaper than lemonade), and ice water (about as cheap as it gets) in the fridge. Since they're in glass, the taste stays pure, and they never spoil or grow mold. There's always something cold to drink. We never run out anymore, saving me from having to make a run to the store... The only one you can mess up is the ice tea: pouring hot tea into a cold glass bottle can crack/shatter the glass. Even if the glass bottle is just resting in the sink, the temperature difference can be enough to cause a crack, so let the tea cool way down first! Also, glass bottles with a wide mouth can be hard to find; everything is packaged in plastic these days. Even if I don't win the contest, I hope this tip saves you guys some money (and a few trips to the grocery store)!

I used to smoke, now I run to save money.

I used to go for expensive lunches when I wanted to socialize and spend time with my colleagues but now we go for a walk together every day and then eat brown bag lunch back in the office. It became our tradition and more people are joining us :)

I used to go shopping without a list, but now I always use a list -- whether it's grocery shopping, hardware shopping or clothes shopping -- to stay on track and to save money.

I used to buy too much food per grocery shopping trip, but now I only buy what our family can really consume in order to save money. The most expensive food is wasted food! It was amazing when I evaluated how much we were really throwing out -- particularly with produce. Shameful. Really, really shameful.
(And everyone is still getting their five-plus servings at house even with the change.)

I used to eat out a lot with coworkers, now I (we!) brown-bag to save money.

I used to lust after shiny new electronics, now I have a dedicated savings account to save up for them.

I used to get a daily e-mail with "deals" on things, now I avoid such sites so I'm not tempted to buy things I don't need.

I used to just save in my 401k, now I automate my savings as well.

I used to buy iced coffee, now I make my own at home.

I stopped boiling the tea. Now I just add water and the bags, let it sit on the counter for a few hours and viola, tea. I never have to worry about breaking the glass and no energy is used to cook it.

I used to shop retail, but now I shop for clothing and household items at consignment and thrift shops to save money.

I used to spend liberally at the grocery store (rationalizing that cooking with expensive ingredients was cheaper than eating out), but now I keep a few laying hens and grow most of my own produce to save money.

The kicker is that the quality of my ingredients are so high that this food is not available for *any* amount of money. And with quality this high, I hardly have to do anything to it in the kitchen to end up with a fabulous meal.

I used to eat out for lunch when at work, but now I pack my lunch, save huge money and eat more healthily to boot. I've even begun to influence my office-mates to do the same.

I used to subscribe to all the movie channels (HBO, Cinemax), but now I cancelled my subscription to save money.

I used to spend frivolously, but now I track every penny via Mint.com to save money.

I used to go out to lunch 3x a week, but now I pack my own to save money.

I used to eat whatever my emotion, but now I actually use my gym membership to save money (on food).

I used to just buy everything at one store, but now I shop at multiple stores and price match what I can at Wal-Mart. That often saves me from most of the running around!

I used to go grocery shopping every week but now I go every other week and spend about the same amount.

I used to go to Supercuts for $15 a visit, but know I cut my own hair (with a one time $25 investment in a trimmer) to save money.

I used to go out to eat five nights a week but now I eat almost every meal at home. This easily saves $50 a week for me alone, let alone my other family members.

I used to just let our overdraft credit line pick up any checking account overages now I use You Need a Budget almost every day to track my expenses.

I used to check my email every 3 seconds from my phone now I enjoy a quiet moment without a data plan.

I used to buy books but now I use PaperBackSwap.com and get them for free.

I used to use Netflix but now I use Redbox and get many movies with free code offers.

I used to buy fabric and crafting supplies, but now I'm using up leftover fabric to save money.

(Eventually, I'll have to buy more, but then I'll have more space free anyway!)

I use to go to the gym but now I go for a run outside.

I use to buy new books all the time, now I use bookmooch.com.

I used to drink sodas but now I drink water to save money.

I used to eat meat, but now I...

don't.

I used to think cutting coupons and shopping discount stores wasn't worth my time and hassle, but now I cut coupons and shop at Costco and (ugh) Walmart instead of my old favorite grocery store to save money... BIG money.

I used to use credit cards, but now I use cash to save money! Cash really helps with the disciplined budget.

I use to use throw away diapers but now I use cloth diapers!